The Lewelling Nurseries: More than just apples to Oregon

Authors: Hummer, Kim

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2020
Publication Date: 4/1/2021
Citation: Hummer, K.E. 2021. The Lewelling Nurseries: More than just apples to Oregon. Journal of American Pomological Society. 75:87-93.

Interpretive Summary: Henderson Lewelling, was an independent thinker, pomologist extraordinaire, skilled nurseryman, self-reliant pioneer, and family devotee. However, he “was born a ramblin’ man.” Despite this aspect of his life, or perhaps because of it, each of us across this great land who appreciate tree fruit and nuts have benefitted from his wanderlust. He, his two brothers Seth and John, and Alfred, Henderson’s son, established nurseries for the great fruit industry of the Pacific Northwestern United States, including Oregon, Washington, and California. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the horticultural accomplishment of the Lewelling brothers in light of their background and the trials and tribulations of being pioneers and entrepreneurs of their era. The background of the Lewelling family (spelling variants: Llewellyn, Luelling, Luallen) will be discussed. Their family involvement with the Underground Railroad and the abolitionists of Iowa played a large part in their philosophy of life. Besides originating from nobility in Wales, with family business in medicine, general farming, and fruit tree nursery production, some Lewelling family members had a propensity for the judiciary and politics. The four major covered-wagon pioneering journeys of Henderson and his brothers, including three successful ventures and one less so, will be summarized. In 1847, Henderson started on his Oregon Trail covered wagon expedition from Iowa, with about 700 trees of 35 varieties of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plums, and small fruits. Despite all odds, 350 plants survived to reach the Willamette Valley at the end of the Oregon Trail. Lewelling’s fruit trees were the first grafted nursery stock planted on the Pacific Coast and became the foundation plant material for a burgeoning public need. In 1850, Lewelling's brother, Seth, joined him in Oregon, and John Lewelling journeyed to San Lorenzo, California. The next year, Seth established branch nurseries in Salem and Albany, Oregon, which continued to sell nursery stock throughout Oregon and Washington. In 1853, Henderson and his family moved to California and extended his nursery trade to sell more than 100,000 fruit trees throughout California. Henderson died in 1879 and is buried in Oakland, California. His tombstone commemorates him as the Father of Pacific Horticulture.

Technical Abstract: Henderson Lewelling (1809-1879), is known as the “Father of Pacific Horticulture.” He was an independent thinker, pomologist extraordinaire, skilled nurseryman, self-reliant pioneer, and family devotee. However, he “was born a ramblin’ man.” Despite this aspect of his life, or perhaps because of it, each of us across this great land who appreciate tree fruit and nuts have benefitted from his wanderlust. In 1837, Henderson and his brother, John purchased land and established the first commercial tree fruit nursery in Iowa. Ten years later, Henderson and his family started on an Oregon Trail covered wagon expedition from Iowa, with about 700 trees of 35 varieties of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plums, and small fruits. Despite all odds, 350 plants survived to reach the Willamette Valley at the end of the Oregon Trail. Lewelling’s fruit trees were the first grafted nursery stock planted on the Pacific Coast and became the foundation plant material for a burgeoning public need. In 1850, Henderson’s brother, Seth, joined him in Oregon, while his sibling, John journeyed to San Lorenzo, California. The next year, Seth established branch nurseries in Salem and Albany, Oregon, which continued to sell nursery stock throughout Oregon and Washington. In the Milwaukee orchard, the novel ‘Bing’ sweet cherry was selected from a nursery row, and has become one of the most widely grown cultivars in the U.S. In 1853, Henderson and his family moved to California and extended his nursery trade to sell more than 100,000 fruit trees throughout California. Over time, the early introduction of the fruit and nut germplasm into the Pacific Northwest by the Lewelling family nurseries has had a profound and lasting impact on modern fruit culture.